LATIN AND THE B.A. DEGREE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2985, 24 January 1917, Page 5

LATIN AND THE B.A. DEGREE

:——t NO LONGER A COMPULSORY SUBJECT

DIVIDED OPINION IN THE SENATE By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, January 23. . .The University Senate discussed the recommendations of tho Board of Studies respecting the courses in arts and science, and decided to retain in the B.A. curriculum Italian and Spanish as optional subjects. Russia was added to the list. Tho Senate deleted a recommendation by the Board of Studies by. 13 to 9 that all candidates for tho B.A. degree must either have passed in Latin at the "matric." examination or must pass in Latin up to the standard before being granted a degree. Tho effect is that Latin will no longer bo compulsory for the B.A. degree at any;'stage. In the course of tho discussion on the Latin question, Sir Bobert Stout (the Chancellor)- said that "IT a student did not intend to pursue the study of Latin ho should not bo forced to study it in a secondary school. It would be better for him to take a modern language, which would also suit him. As a training medium Latin was ■ not essential, and in somo respects utterly valueless: Dr. Anderson considered that there were quite enough influences at present at work getting pupils unfit to take Latin, and he did not want the University to encourage this. Mr. Mahon endorsed Dr. Anderson's remarks, while agreeing to the remark that Latin was extremely beneficial and. necessary to high intellect, cultivation, and centration, consideration must'ho taken of the second-class Itoacher imparting Latin to the secondclass mind. Latin to the average student did intellectual and moral harm. Mr. M'Dowell spoke of tho tendency in late years to lower tTie high standard maintained for the B.A. degree. It was essential for any man desirous of obtaining a thorough knowledge of the language to have latin as its foundation. He would be sorry to see anything done to lower the standard preparatory to University life. Professor MacMillan Brown spoke of the forefront place Latin took in literature. Latin was the basis of all the languages. Mr. H. P. Ton H'aast deplored the suggested rejection of Latin. We wero neglecting our ideals and sciences, and in danger of falling back into degeneracy, like Germany.